Cutter drive for vegetable juicing machine



rates 3,165,132 Patented Jan. 12., 1965 3,165,132 CUTTER DRIVE FURVEGETABLE HJHIENG MACH-ENE Douglas F. Moline, Arcadia, Calih, assignorto Acme Manufacturing Co., Inc., a corporation Filed .lune 4, 1963, er.No. 285,271 3 Claims. (Cl. 14676) This invention relates to centrifugalmachines and more especially to a drive for the cutting wheel of avegetable juicing machine. a

The present invention is directed to centrifugal type rotary machines inwhich the principal element is rotated at a relatively high speed,driving a cutting wheel or blade in a perforated basket, which cuttingwheel shaves the vegetables in a manner to release the juices therein,the juices being centrifugated through the basket and being suitablycollected, the pulp of the vegetables being retained in the basket. Thecutting element comprises a disc having a plurality of radially arrangedrows of teeth for effecting the cutting or shaving operation. Design andmanufacturing procedures, though highly developed, are unable to producea high rotation speed structure which is perfectly balanced, and asoften occurs, small irregularities develop in the cutting blades or theteeth thereof. A single irregularity in one blade will cause an excessof the vegetable pulp to be lodged in the rotating basket at aparticular circumferential position, and this unbalanced mass willbecome larger during the juicing operation and results in an undesirablevibration of the machine, the usual design of which provides for anunsecured support on a table or similar supporting object. Thisundesirable vibration of the machine is overcome by the presentinvention wherein the cutting blade wheel or disc has a slip or frictiondrive connection with the basket in which it is mounted and the shaft ofthe motor which powers the machine.

It is therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide asimple, practical and effective drive for the cutting wheel of acentrifuging machine wherein undesirable vibration is prevented.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fullyin the following specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view partly in section of a vegetablejuicing machine incorporating the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional view enlarged, taken along the line 22of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view enlarged, taken along the line 3-3of FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are separate views of the clamp nut.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view enlarged, taken along the arc line66 of FIGURE 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, FIGURE 1 shows a centrifugalvegetable juicing machine having a generally circular frame 10, thelower portion 11 of which houses an electric motor 12, and the upperdetachable portion 13 of which forms an enclosure for a macerating unitmounted on the vertical shaft 14 of the motor. A removable cover 15 issuitably secured on the upper portion 13 of the frame. A hub 16 havinghigh rotational inertia is suitably secured on shaft 14 and has ahexagonal shaft extension portion 18 which extends through a hexagonalaperture 19 in the bottom 20 of a rotating basket 21 which has aperforated circular wall 22.

A clamp nut and clutch assembly 23 is secured on the upper end of shaft14. This assembly includes a retainer nut having a threaded bore securedon the threaded upper end of shaft 14. Nut 24 has an end bore or recess25 into which extension 18 of the hub 16 extends in such manner that theclamping nut locks the bottom plate 20 of the basket 21 on hub 16. A cap26 has a blind bore 27 in which extends the reduced upper end of nut 24.Cap 26 has a counterbore 30 in which extends the reduced diameterportion 31 of a plunger sleeve 32 which is pressed downwardly by thecompression of a spring 33 which seats on an internal flange 34 of theplunger sleeve. The upper end of spring 33 is held under compression inthe counterbore 30 of cap 26. Sleeve 32 has diametral cam notches 28 atits upper end. A locking pin 29 extends through cap 26 and nut 24 andrides on cam notches 28 which have an effective cam angle ofsubstantially 30 degrees.

A macerating cutting wheel or disc 35 is positioned on bottom plate 20of basket 21 and has a central opening 36 in which the lower end of nut24 extends and by which the disc is rotationally centered for drive byhub 16 on shaft 14. The bore of the plunger sleeve is larger than nut 24and the plunger sleeve is pressed downwardly on macerating disc 35 bythe pressure of spring 33. An annular groove 38 is formed on the underside of macerating disc 35 and receives a nylon ring 40 which is formedwith a plurality of circumferentially spaced feet 41 which rest onbottom plate 20 of basket 21.

The upper surface of macerating disc 35 is formed with a plurality ofsubstantially radially arranged macerating tooth formations 42. Thesetooth formations are each in the form of a shell having rounded, slopingand tapering shape at their trailing edges, and a thin curved lip at theleading edge thereof in the direction of rotation of the disc. Cover 10has a vegetable feeding guide tube 43 and bottom portion 13 is formedwith a discharging spout 44.

The operation of the invention should be clear from the foregoingdescription. During running of motor 12 the comminuting unit will berotated at high speed, such as two to three thousand revolutions perminute, and vegetables, such as carrots, celery, and others will be fedthrough feed guide tube 43 to the macerating disc wheel 35. Themacerating wheel shaves or macerates the vegetables, and the juicetherefrom is delivered through the dispensing spout 44. The entrappedpulp from the vegetables is deposited on the wall 22 of basket 21.

As will be clear, the macerating disc 35 is driven from bottom plate 20and the sleeve 32 of the clamping nut assembly 23 by a frictional driveengagement through nylon ring 40 and nylon sleeve 32. This frictionaldrive engagement provides a certain amount of slip, the amount of whichis determined by the design of spring 33 in order to provide the desiredamount of pressure of sleeve 32 against cutter disc 35. By reason ofthis slip drive, the disc 35 will shift its position relative to basket21, and any irregularities in tooth formations 42 which might result inan unbalanced accumulation of pulp at one side of the basket will beprevented and a balanced drive of the basket will occur at all times.Excessive slip during the macerating process may damage the frictiondrive, therefore if during the macerating process excessive slippagestarts to occur between the basket bottom and the cutter feet, frictionbetween the cutter and sleeve is decreased by the force generated by the30 degree cam angle working against the pin and forcing the sleeve intothe cutter, thereby reducing slippage. During this action sleeve 32 willshift temporarily from the position shown in FIGURE 5 to that shown inFIGURE 4.

The invention has been described in considerable detail in order tocomply with the patent laws by providing a full public disclosure of atleast one of its forms. However, such detailed description is notintended in any way to limit the broad features or principles of theinvention, or the scope of the patent monopoly to be granted.

a 3 a What is claimed is: 1. In a high speed centrifugal vegetablejuicing machine having a vertical shaft, a centrifugal hub and aperforate basket on said hub having a cylindrical wall; the combinationof a base plate in said basket, a cutter disc on said base plate, meansfor clamping said base plate to said shaft, and resiliently biasedfriction drive means providing a small degree of slip between said baseplate and'cutte'r disc and'preventing an unbalancing accumulation ofvegetable pulp on said cylindrical wall by providing a constantlychanging position of the cutter disc in relation to the perforated Wallof the basket, said friction drive means including an annular groove insaid cutter'disc and a nylon friction member in said groove having aplurality of circumferentially spaced feet and a clamping nut and clutchassembly on said shaft having a spring seated nylon sleeve engaging saidcutter disc and self actuating means to increase the pressure engagementof said sleeve and cutter disc and prevent excessive slippage.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises acircumferential cam and pin engagement between said sleeve and clampingnut.

Structure according to claim 2 wherein said cam has an eiiective angleof substantially 30 degrees to the plane of said cutter disc.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS I. SPENCEROVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A HIGH SPEED CENTRIFUGAL VEGETABLE JUICING MACHINE HAVING AVERTICAL SHAFT, A CENTRIFUGAL HUB AND A PERFORATE BASKET ON SAID HUBHAVING A CYLINDRICAL WALL; THE COMBINATION OF A BASE PLATE IN SAIDBASKET, A CUTTER DISC ON SAID BASE PLATE, MEANSS FOR CLAMPING SAID BASEPLATE TO SAID SHAFT, AND RESILIENTLY BIASED FRICTION DRIVE MEANSPROVIDING A SMALL DEGREE OF SLIP BETWEEN SAID BASE PLATE AND CUTTER DISCAND PREVENTING AN UNBALANCING ACCUMULATION OF VEGETABLE PULP ON SAIDCYLINDRICAL WALL BY PROVIDING A CONSTANTLY CHANGING POSITION OF THECUTTER DISC IN RELATION TO THE PERFORATED WALL OF THE BASKET; SAIDFRICTION DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING AN ANNULAR GROOVE IN SAID CUTTER DISC ANDA NYLON FRICTION MEMBER IN SAID GROOVE HAVING A PLURALITY OFCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED FEET AND A CLAMPING NUT AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY ONSAID SHAFT HAVING A SPRING SEATED NYLON SLEEVE ENGAGING SAID CUTTER DISCAND SELF ACTUATING MEANS TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ENGAGEMENT OF SAIDSLEEVE AND CUTTER DISC AND PREVENT EXCESSIVE SLIPPAGE.